Lonchar v. Thomas, 517 U.S. 314, 21 (1996)

Page:   Index   Previous  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  Next

334

LONCHAR v. THOMAS

Rehnquist, C. J., concurring in judgment

(1993); S. 38, 103d Cong., 1st Sess. (1993); S. 47, 103d Cong., 1st Sess. (1993); S. 1356, 103d Cong., 1st Sess. (1993); S. 1441, 103d Cong., 1st Sess. (1993); S. 1488, 103d Cong., 1st Sess. (1993); S. 1607, 103d Cong., 1st Sess. (1993); S. 1657, 103d Cong., 1st Sess. (1993); H. R. 4018, 103d Cong., 2d Sess. (1994); H. R. 4055, 103d Cong., 2d Sess. (1994); H. R. 4079, 103d Cong., 2d Sess. (1994); H. R. 4092, 103d Cong., 2d Sess. (1994); H. R. 4197, 103d Cong., 2d Sess. (1994); H. R. 4848, 103d Cong., 2d Sess. (1994); H. R. 5008, 103d Cong., 2d Sess. (1994); H. R. 5134, 103d Cong., 2d Sess. (1994); S. 2389, 103d Cong., 2d Sess. (1994); H. R. 3, 104th Cong., 1st Sess. (1995); H. R. 729, 104th Cong., 1st Sess. (1995); H. R. 920, 104th Cong., 1st Sess. (1995); H. R. 2703, 104th Cong., 1st Sess. (1995); S. 3, 104th Cong., 1st Sess. (1995); S. 623, 104th Cong., 1st Sess. (1995); S. 735, 104th Cong., 1st Sess. (1995); S. 816, 104th Cong., 1st Sess. (1995).

Chief Justice Rehnquist, with whom Justice Scalia, Justice Kennedy, and Justice Thomas join, concurring in the judgment.

I agree with the Court that the judgment of the Court of Appeals should be reversed, but I am in sufficient disagreement with the Court's reasoning to write separately. I disagree with the Court's statement that "the Court of Appeals order vacating the stay is lawful only if dismissal of the petition would have been lawful." Ante, at 319. This statement, I believe, misreads our opinion in Barefoot v. Estelle, 463 U. S. 880 (1983), and ignores our reasoning in Gomez v. United States Dist. Court for Northern Dist. of Cal., 503 U. S. 653 (1992).

The order under review does not dispose of a petition for

a writ of habeas corpus; it vacates a stay of execution. The Court dismisses this distinction as a "preliminary matter," which "makes no difference," because "the Court of Appeals order vacating the stay is lawful only if dismissal of the petition would have been lawful." Ante, at 319. In my view,

Page:   Index   Previous  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  28  Next

Last modified: October 4, 2007